i8»iJ 303 



White form of Diaphora mendicn, $ . — When in the north of Ireland last 

 month, I took the opportunity of examining all the local collections of Lepidoptera 

 within reach, and was surprised to find that every male mendica taken in the north 

 is of the same pale cream colour as those from the neighbourhood of Cork. I am 

 not sure whether the smoky dai'k form is known to occur at all in Ireland. — Id. 



The larva of Spilosoma sordida, Jlilb. — In one of my Swiss tours several years 

 ago (viz., in 1880) I found the eggs of this alpine species laid on a bare rock in a 

 neat and regular circle like a watch spring, between Chamounix and Martigny ; they 

 were of a whitish-buff, but darkened the day before they iiatched, when the larvae 

 were of a pale yellowish colour, with a few very short hairs rising from minute black 

 tubercles. They remained similar in hue after the first moult, but had a pale greyish- 

 white central dorsal line, and also a very faint orange spiracular stripe. 



The second moult took place in from ten to twelve days' time, when they became 

 lavender-grey, slightly hairy, with a narrow white central dorsal line. 



After the third moult the caterpillars were similar in all respects, but were 

 decidedly darker, more hairy, and with all the markings intensified. 



Some, after the fourth moult, assumed the adult skin, which was dark greyish - 

 brown, covered with very dark brown (almost black) bail's of moderate length, the 

 central dorsal line white or very pale orange, and continued from the second to the 

 end of the last segment. The spiracular line is orange, composed of spots, one on 

 each segment from 2nd to 13th inclusive, but much more intense at either end than 

 in the centre. Spiracles very pale buff, encircled by a fine black line. Under-surface 

 pale grey, with a slight greenish tinge. Some remain precisely the same as after 

 the third moult, and do not assume the adult skin until the fifth moult has taken 

 place, but whether this is sexual or otherwise I do not know, as I unfortunately 

 did not make a note of this particular at the time. 



Length, 35 to 40 mm. Five pairs of claspers. 



They spun a cocoon of hair, earth, &c., on the surface towards the end of August, 

 having hatched during the second week in July, the ova being found on June 12th, 

 so that from egg to pupa a period of close on twelve weeks elapsed. 



The larvffi are polyphagouo ; in 1880 I fed them on elm, in 1881 I forced these 

 pupse and obtained fine series during the latter half of February, from these I se- 

 cured several batches of eggs, wliich hatched during Easter week, the larva; were 

 then fed on Lamium, hut they took very readily to gooseberry, hawthorn, and nettle, 

 which happened to be in the breeding cage at the same time for other species. The 

 1881 larvae spun up during the latter part of June, the time between each moult 

 being from ten to fourteen days. The perfect insects did not appear until the 

 following year, when all the ova proved to be infertile. — G. T. Baker, Clai'cndon 

 Eoad, Edgbaston : October 1st, 1891. 



Re-union between the same moths. — Cases of re-union between the same moths, 

 as cited by Mr. Eustace R. Bankes (ante p. 274) would, I believe, be by no means 

 uncommon, if opportunities were given for their occurrence. It is only when moths 

 are reared in confinement that we can be sure of all the circumstances agreeing with 

 the case mentioned, and it too frequently happens that a pairing having been once 

 observed, the male is removed out of reach of the female, and all chance of a second 



